Halloween: The Night He Came Home
by Ammicus Prague
Summary: Presented in two parts, my take on Halloween! Part 2 - The Night He Came Home. Laurie Strode, an average, ordinary girl, is stalked by a mysterious figure on Halloween night. Her friends pass it off, but when she sees the man everywhere, it's clear that he's all too real. Who is he, and what could he want with her?
1. Loomis's Vow

The three doctors stood in front of the building. Loomis paced back and forth as Wynn and Carpenter chattered like mice.

"-going to have to isolate him-"

"-he's fourteen, though, we still can't charge him with anything – "

Loomis butted in abruptly. "Tell me, why do you care now?"

Carpenter looked up. "You were right. He is much too dangerous to be kept out in the open. We'll have to put him in the cell ward, effective tonight."

"No, Carpenter!" Loomis shouted. "We can't keep him here! Not after tonight, not after what happened – "

"Doctor Carpenter! There's another body over here."

Loomis snapped to attention. "Come on!" he yelled to Carpenter and Wynn, who rushed over with him around the building.

There lay Dr. Hill, sprawled out on the pavement. There was blood everywhere.

"No…no…" Loomis uttered in despair. "What happened?!" He grabbed the medic's shirt as if his life depended on it.

"She fell from the top, looks like," he said. "The indentations say as much. Plus her head's split open like a banana peel."

Loomis broke down. In the years that he'd been at Smith's Grove, Hill had been the only one who truly believed him. The only one who understood him. His faithful colleague. And now she was dead.

"Come on, Loomis. Get up."

As Wynn and Carpenter dragged Loomis to his feet, he looked up. Michael was glaring out of his window.

He staggered to his feet. His face snarled into a furious sneer.

"You devil," he said to the night. "You demon, you evil, maniacal bastard, you! I'll make sure the only thing you see for the rest of your life is your damned prison cell!"

The echoes flew into the air, never to be heard again.


	2. Prologue

_Come on baby_

_Don't fear the Reaper_

_Baby take my hand_

_Don't fear the Reaper_

_We'll be able to fly_

_Don't fear the Reaper_

_Baby I'm your man_

* * *

**HALLOWEEN: THE NIGHT HE CAME HOME**


	3. The Escape

**OCTOBER 30, 1978**

**SEVEN YEARS LATER**

**WARREN COUNTY, ILLINOIS**

The car drifted down the road. It was a rather plain-looking tan sedan, with Illinois State markings on it. The sedan's two passengers looked gravely on through the windshield. One was a young, teacherly-looking woman in nurse garb. She smoked a cigarette with the window down. The other was a portly middle-aged man in a brown suit and an overcoat that matched the car. He was lost in thought, but to the nurse he had an expression of focused determination.

"You ever done anything like this before?"

The nurse blinked, this being the first time she'd heard the doctor speak. "Only minimum security," she replied, eyeing him cautiously, daring him to speak again.

"I see," the doctor replied simply. "The driveway's a few hundred yards up on your right."

Marion attempted to start conversation again. "The only thing that ever bothers me is their gibberish," she prompted. "When they start raving on and on – "

This time the doctor cut her off. "You haven't anything to worry about," he stated. "He hasn't spoken a word in fifteen years."

Marion cast another glance on him. "Are there any special instructions?"

"Just try to understand what we're dealing with, here," he said. "Don't underestimate it."

"Don't you think we should refer to 'it' as 'him'?"

For the first time, Loomis looked right at her. His grim stare faltered and became one of bewilderment. Shrugging his shoulders at last, he said, "If you say so," in a rather apprehensive manner.

"Your compassion is overwhelming, Doctor," said Marion haughtily.

"What do I give him when we take him in front of the judge?"

"Thorazine," said the doctor.

Her left eyebrow raised like it always did when something peculiar caught her attention. "He'll barely be able to sit up."

"That's the idea," came the doctor.

She turned to face him briefly. "You're really serious about this, aren't you?" she inquired, sick of his brooding silence.

"Yes."

"I mean, you actually never want him to get out."

"No, never. Never…never, ever…" said the doctor, trailing back into his mind.

"Then why are we taking him up to Hardin County if you're just going to lock-"

"Because, that is the law," said Loomis forcefully. "Here we are."

A path had appeared in front of them; a small picket sign read, SMITH'S GROVE SANITARIUM.

Not taking any of it, Loomis barked, "Pull up to the main gate."

They drove through a chain-link fence. Looking around, the rain made Smith's Grove look something like a fortress. Its massive building loomed in front of them, giving Marion an odd sense of foreboding. This was her first time coming here; she lived in Langdon, which was north of Warren County. The staff didn't seem particularly friendly – one certain doctor was being all but kind to her.

Looking out into the night, Marion saw strange, tall figures dancing in the distance. She passed it off as pre-Halloween superstition, or perhaps the decorations of the institution. But a closer glance revealed that they were, in fact, people dressed in hospital gowns. They shuffled in circles on the main lawn of the building as if she and Loomis weren't there.

"Since when do they let them wander around?" Marion asked aloud, and turned just in time to see Loomis's stare fall right off his face.

"Pull in to the driveway." The vacancy in his voice had been replaced by that of a harsh, commanding tone. "Go on, move!" he repeated as Marion opened her mouth to say something. As they pulled up, Loomis hopped out of the car. The front glass door was shattered.

Marion struggled to look after him through the rain. He entered the building, running at an awfully brisk pace for a man his age.

THUD

She looked up. It had come from the car's roof. Looking outside, Marion attempted to look on the roof, but a thin, spiderlike hand jittered through the window and took hold of her face. It was cold, and, Marion sensed, not because of the rain.

Instinctively, she pressed the gas. The car started around the drive, circling back around as if to leave. She wrestled with the hand until it let go, disappearing. Crawling to the other side of the car, she fearfully watched the car drive off the path into the adjourning grass.

The awful hand blasted through the window behind her. Marion bolted out of the car, falling onto the ground. Looking up, she saw a white-robed figure on the roof of the still-moving car. For a split second, a bolt of lightning flashed in the sky, illuminating its face. It was a horrible face, one completely void of emotion. It scared Marion to her very core; by the time she'd gotten up the car was gone down the drive.

"He's gone, he's gone from here!" Loomis's voice boomed out of nowhere. "The evil has gone!"

Suddenly he hauled her up to his feet. "Are you all right?" he shouted in her face. She nodded. At this, he released her and ran after the car, futilely giving up. Marion fell to the ground, the image of that face still shockingly fresh in her mind.


	4. Just the Two of Us

**OCTOBER 31, 1978 - HALLOWEEN**

**THE NEXT MORNING**

**HADDONFIELD, ILLINOIS**

Laurie Strode walked apprehensively out of her house, utterly clueless as to what the night would bring her.

It was Halloween morning. The colored leaves were scattered across the ground, adding color to the lawns. Clutching her books to her chest, she headed down the sidewalk for school. Laurie didn't get very far before the door swung open again, her father already at his car.

"Don't forget to drop the key off at the Myers place," he said hurriedly. Mr. Strode had had a heated discussion with his superior about selling the house due to the accidents that happened there fifteen years ago, threatening to quit if they made him sell it. But he lost the argument, and now grudgingly caved in.

"I won't," said Laurie meekly.

"They're coming by to look at the house at ten-thirty. Be sure to leave it under the mat."

"Promise!" Laurie shouted before she rounded the curb. Great, she thought to herself, now I have to go two blocks farther than I need. Oh, well.

After crossing the street, which was mercifully empty, she ran into Tommy Doyle running down the sidewalk perpendicular. He caught up to her, immediately asking questions. "Comig over tonight? Can we make jack-o-lanterns? And watch monster movies? Will you read to me? Can we make popcorn?"

"Sure, sure, sure," said Laurie swiftly, cutting him off. They crossed the street together, finally on Lampkin Lane where the Myers house was. "You better hurry up," Laurie said, as young Tommy was falling behind.

"How come you're walking to school this way?" Tommy started again.

"My dad asked me."

"Why?"

"I have to drop off a key."

"_Why_?"

"'Cause he's gonna sell a house."

"Why?"

"'Cause that's his job," said Laurie, sick of this seemingly-21 Questions from Tommy.

"Where?"

"The Myers house," Laurie gestured to it as they arrived in front of it.

"_The Myers house_?" Tommy fearfully questioned her as if she was going mad. Walking in front of her, he cut her off. "You're not supposed to go up there," he said. It was more of a command than a warning, which surprised her. Pulling the key from her pocket, she taunted, "Yes, I am."

Laurie hastily went up to the mat at the front door, ignoring the "Nuh uh, that's a spook's house!" as she placed the key under it.

Inside the house, a figure peered through the window at her. The sight of Laurie seemed to interest it. The figure cocked its head sideways, studying her as it breathed heavily. It watched her leave the house and continue down the street with the young nuisance who continued to question her.

"Lonnie Elamb said never to go up there. Lonnie Elamb said that's a haunted house. He said awful stuff happened there once!'

"Lonnie Elamb probably won't get out of the sixth grade." Laurie shook her head and took him by the shoulder, pushing him in front of her so that he'd start walking again, but Tommy rather abruptly said, "I gotta go, see you tonight," and ran off across the street. Laurie said goodbye, hardly even waiting for the response before starting off towards school. She sang a little tune that was sung to her sometimes by her mother.

_I wish I had you all alone..._

_Just the two of us..._

_I would hold you so close to me..._

_So close to me..._

_Just the two of us..._

_So close to me... _

She did not see the dark figure walk out of the house. She did not see it glide down onto the sidewalk. And she definitely did not hear the menacing breathing of the shape as it watched her disappear around the corner.


	5. Where He's Going

**LATER THAT MORNING**

**SMITH'S GROVE**

Loomis angrily pushed open the door of Smith's Grove. Stalking in, he demanded to see Wynn at once. "Tell him to get his sorry tail down here before I come find him," he said to the desk clerk, who immediately called for him over the intercom. Once he arrived, Loomis was already staring him down.

"What?" said Terence.

"Don't play fool with me," said Loomis. "He escaped last night."

"We know," Wynn fumbled. "His room was, well…you may have to look for yourself." He gestured for Loomis to follow him, bringing him to Michael's old room. They stepped inside, Loomis scanning it like a hawk. His eyes came to rest on a small photograph sitting on his chair; it was of a young girl in her teens. Loomis could swear he'd seen her before, but something told him it was a mistake. Still, something about her seemed oddly familiar.

"Cut out with scissors," said Wynn, holding up a small blue pair. Examining the picture, Loomis saw that it was indeed quite jagged around the edges.

"How did he get ahold of a pair of scissors, Wynn?" yelled Loomis. "And who is this girl?"

Wynn shrugged at the first question, but upon the second, he said, "There was a file missing when we checked it this morning. It was…his file. He must have taken it with him. We were not authorized to open it unless Governor Thompson said we could. Now it's gone."

"Dear God," said Loomis, his eyes wide. He then walked from Michael's room, heading for the exit. As he left the building, Wynn caught the door and followed him out.

"I'm not responsible, Sam," he tried to appeal to Loomis.

"Oh, _no._" Loomis glanced at him with pure ire.

"I told them how dangerous he was-"

Loomis cut him off. "You couldn't have. Two roadblocks and an all-points bulletin wouldn't stop a five-year-old."

"Well," said Wynn naively, "he was your patient, Doctor…if precautions weren't strong enough, you should have told somebody."

Loomis stopped dead in his tracks, not believing the words he had just heard. He laughed in spite of himself. "I told everybody!" he exclaimed, causing Wynn to jump. "Remember, when Dr. Hill died, I told you. When the murders and accidents happened, when I appealed to you to move him somewhere else, Lord, Terence! I told you every chance I got, and you and Dr. Carpenter ignored me! Have you noticed that in the fifteen years since he first came here, I'm still here and Carpenter was fired? Have you? I told everybody. Nobody listened."

"There's nothing else I can do." Wynn slumped his shoulders, leaning against the railing of the ramp leading up from the parking lot.

"You can get back in there, get back on that telephone, tell them exactly who walked out of here last night, and tell them exactly where he's going!" Loomis arrived at his car, opening the door.

"Probably going."

Loomis turned around, looking back up at Wynn and smirked. "I'm wasting my time." He went to get in his car.

"Sam," Wynn shouted forlornly, "Haddonfield is one hundred and fifty miles away from here. Now, for God's sakes, he can't drive a car!"

"He was doing very well last night!" said Loomis, returning the yell. "Maybe someone round here gave him lessons." Before he left, Wynn ran up to the window of the car. After the window rolled down, Wynn said, "Sam, please don't pin this on me. We've known each other since med school. I don't want to lose one of my dearest friends to a misunderstanding."

Loomis looked at him with a look that spoke of agreement. Nonetheless, he said, "Wynn, just pay attention to the details next time. When someone says something, take it to heart. Trust them. Trust me. By the way, don't report me. I didn't know until just now."

Wynn watched Loomis drive off, noticing that he'd been parked in a handicapped space the whole time. Chuckling to himself, he started back up the drive.


	6. The Boogeyman is Coming

**NOON**

**HADDONFIELD HIGH SCHOOL**

_And the book ends. But, what Samuels is really talking about here is fate. You see, fate caught up with several lives here. No matter what course of action Collins took, he was destined to his own fate…his own 'day of reckoning.' The idea is that destiny is very real. Now, how does Samuels' idea of fate differ from Costain's?_

"Laurie?"

The teacher's rant went on and on. Laurie, struggling to stay awake, had not yet succumbed to total boredom as had the rest of the class, and was more intent on staring out of the window, taking in half the information as she tuned in and out of the lesson.

An idle car sat on the front lawn across the street. Behind it, a rather white-faced man stood and stared at her. It was quite odd; Laurie could see the tiniest bit of flesh at his neck, which was mostly covered by the collar of the jumpsuit he wore. Laurie could not tell what color it was; it seemed a dark shade of green from what she could see.

At the sound of her own name, Laurie jumped out of her stupor. Looking at the teacher in bewilderment, she said, "Ma'am?"

"Answer the question." The teacher glared at her through those awful glasses.

"Oh, um…" Laurie glanced down at her notes, which had somehow been added to. She had been writing them down the whole time, except that the words had veered from the lines on the paper and trailed off onto the desk itself. "Costain wrote that fate was somehow related only to religion, whereas Samuels felt that, um, well, fate was like a natural element, like earth, air, fire, and water."

"That's right," said the teacher thankfully. "Costain definitely personified fate."

Laurie looked out the window again. The man was gone, as was the car.

_In Samuels' writing, fate is immovable, like a mountain. It stands where man passes away. Fate never changes._

**AFTER SCHOOL**

**NICHOLAS CASTLE MIDDLE SCHOOL**

The three children relentlessly bullied Tommy.

"Look at his stupid pumpkin," said Lonnie Elamb, a vicious sixth grader who was too big for his britches. "How's the little witches, yeah?" His cohorts, Richie and Keith, laughed at him.

"Leave me alone!" Tommy yelled at them.

"He's gonna get you! He's gonna get you! He's gonna get you! He's gonna get you! He's gonna get you! He's gonna get you!" The three older boys began to chant. Lonnie followed it up with, "The boogeyman is coming!"

Tommy asked again to leave him alone.

"He doesn't believe us," said Richie.

Lonnie shrugged. "Don't you know what happens on Holl-o-ween?" he asked, stretching the word tight.

"Yeah," Tommy tried to retort, "we get candy."

This was the wrong answer, apparently, as the boys took up the chant again. "The boogeyman, ooh, boogeyman, the boogeyman, the boogeyman, the boogeyman, the boogeyman!"

Looking up, they saw a seventh grader named Ziggy Lloyd. He was on the football team and was a good bit taller than Keith, the tallest of the three bullies. They ran off, leaving Ziggy help Tommy up. He had tripped over Lonnie's foot and fallen, crushing his pumpkin.

"Hey, man," he said to Tommy, "don't worry about them. They're jerks. I'll deal with them later. My big brother Jimmy, he works at the hospital. Just wait until I'm done with them, they'll think it's all over until he gets ahold of 'em. Don't let them get you down."

Ziggy ran after the three boys, who had almost made it to the end of the courtyard and to the street. Richie ran to his right, and almost immediately ran into someone.

He was big, bigger than Ziggy; the man caught Richie, pushing him off of him. Richie looked up fearfully at the gargantuan's face. But instead of a face, there was a mask pale as the moon. He hurriedly jogged away after Lonnie and Keith, scared stiff.

The shape studied him as he left. The boy reminded it of an incident where a kid his age had teased it. It had gotten the last word in the situation, to say the least. It looked up at the remaining boy and instantly recognized him.

It was the little nuisance from that morning. Grasping the gate that ran around the courtyard, it walked parallel with Tommy to the other side. The boy went through the fence and got on the sidewalk. The shape entered the tan car waiting in front of him, pulling around the corner up to the boy. Once it caught up, the car slowed down. It moved inch by inch with the boy. Sure enough, it was him.

The tan car drove off before Tommy could even notice it.


	7. The Rabbit in Red

**OUTSIDE HADDONFIELD**

Loomis stood inside a phone booth. It was the only landmark for several miles, along with his car and a sign a few yards behind him that said: MORGAN STRODE, HOME REALTOR. WE'RE THE BEST AROUND. He desperately pleaded with the operator on the phone, whose name was Leigh Brackett. He was apparently the sheriff of Haddonfield.

"He's on his way," said Loomis. So far, Brackett did not seem to be buying his story, as his oft-repeated "uh-huh"s and "yeah"s seemed awfully forced. He almost felt like he was talking to –

"You've got to understand that this is Halloween, sir," came Brackett's voice. "It's grounds for me being a little skeptical when it comes to your story."

"No, you've got to believe me, officer," Loomis replied. "He is coming to Haddonfield."

"And how is it you know this?" Brackett said.

"Because I know him. I'm his doctor." Loomis's tone became hard. "You must be ready for him."

"Yeah, and I'm the effin' tooth fairy. Good day, sir." Brackett hung up.

"If you don't, it's your funeral," Loomis said to the phone. Hanging up, he glanced out towards Haddonfield and noticed a red truck parked in the bushes next to him. A train crossing signal sounded, with the whistle not far behind it. Loomis looked back at his car, which was parked awfully close to the tracks. It'll be fine, he thought to himself. At the moment, the truck had his interest.

Running over to it, he saw that the driver's side door was open. Looking inside, there was a brochure for "Phelp's Garage Towing and Mechanical Work" that matched the insignia on the side of the truck. There were white sheets on the door and on the trees next to it, which Loomis thought was quite odd.

Then he saw it.

A small pack of cigarettes lay on the ground. It was red, and matched the truck. On the pack it said: THE RABBIT IN RED LOUNGE.

It was the same pack that had been in the car with him and Nurse Marion.

Looking back towards the truck, it suddenly made sense to him why the door was open and the materials scattered; he had been here. He had ransacked the truck, but he'd not been so lucky as to not leave a clue.

Loomis took off to his car, not noticing the naked man covered in blood that was hidden in the bushes.


	8. Deep Trouble

**HADDONFIELD HIGH**

_We're from Haddonfield_

_Couldn't be prouder_

_Can't hear us now?_

_We'll yell a little louder_

_We're from Haddonfield_

_Couldn't be prouder_

_Can't hear us now?_

_We'll yell a little louder_

_We're from Haddonfield_

_Couldn't be prouder_

_Can't hear us now?_

_We'll yell a little louder_

_Yay Haddonfield!_

Laurie walked with one of her friends, Lynda van der Klok, out of the school building. They usually walked home together every day with their other friend, Annie Brackett, who was the daughter of the Sheriff.

"Look at all those books!" said Lynda, "You'll need a shopping cart to get home." She had to yell over the cheerleaders practicing behind them. "I'd be out there with them, but since Debbie Irwin and her boyfriend ratted on me and Bob, I'm not allowed to go for two games. They need me for this one because there's not enough cheerleaders, but after this – " Lynda shook her head. "Unbelievable. You know, it's totally insane. We have three cheers to learn in the morning, the game is in the afternoon, I have to get my hair done at five, and the dance is at eight! I'll be totally wiped out!"

Laurie laughed. "I don't think you have enough to do tomorrow."

"Totally," agreed Lynda. She scoffed as they passed the school billboard, which read, TICKETS ON SALE: CALL 799-1960.

They started down the next street. "As usual, I have nothing to do."

"It's your own fault, and I don't feel a bit sorry for you," Lynda joked as she lit up a cigarette.

"Hey, Linda, Laurie!" cried a voice from behind them. Annie ran behind them, trying to catch up. The other two girls stopped. "Why didn't you wait for me?"

"We did. Fifteen minutes – you totally never showed." Lynda turned, now leading the trio of girls.

"That's not true," Annie protested. "Here I am."

Laurie noticed that Annie wasn't being her usual airy-fairy self. "What's wrong, Annie? You're not smiling."

"I'm never smiling again. Paul dragged me into the boy's locker room." Annie frowned as she accepted the cigarette from Lynda.

"Exploring uncharted territory?"

"Totally charted."

"We just talked," said Annie, putting down the double team.

"Sure, sure," Laurie and Lynda snickered in unison.

"Old jerko got caught throwing eggs and soaking windows. His parents grounded him. He can't come over tonight."

Laurie paused. "I thought you were babysitting tonight."

Lynda snidely remarked, "The only reason she babysits is to have a place to – "

"I forgot my chemistry book."

Annie and Lynda turned to see that Laurie had paused several yards behind them, looking through her books desperately. "I have a place for that," Annie whispered to Lynda as they went back over to Laurie.

"So, who cares?" Lynda said, leading into a rant. "I always forget my chemistry book and my math book and my English book and let's see my French book and oh who needs books anyways I don't need books I always forget all of my books it doesn't really matter if you have your books or not."

Tuning out most of Lynda's chatter, Laurie turned and looked at a tan car strolling down the street. It was going awfully slow for a sedan.

"Hey, isn't that Devon Grahame?" asked Lynda.

"I don't think so…" Laurie thought out loud. As the car pulled forward, the girls got a view of the driver; a man with long dark hair and pale skin. They couldn't make out his eyes, which seemed to be just dark blobs.

"I think he's cute."

The car had slowed down drastically. As it passed them, Annie said, "Hey, jerk! Speed kills!"

It suddenly stopped.

Laurie swallowed nervously. The car simply sat there. "Aw, can't he take a joke?"

At last it began to drive, rounding the corner at the end of the street.

"You know, Annie, someday you're gonna get us all into deep trouble." Laurie began to walk.

"Totally," agreed Lynda, taking a contemplating drag on her cigarette.

Annie replied, "I hate a guy with a car and no sense of humor."

"Well, are we still on tonight?"

"I wouldn't want to get you into deep trouble, Lynda," Annie mocked.

"Oh, come on, Annie," Lynda pleaded. "Bob and I have been planning on it all week."

"All right," caved Annie. "The Wallaces leave at seven."

Laurie looked up gladly. "I'm babysitting the Doyles!" she said brightly. "It's only three houses down, we can keep each other company."

"Oh, terrific," Annie said. "I have three choices: watch the kids sleep, get dragged to the Myers place with Lynda and Bob or talk to you."

"What?" Laurie asked, stopping dead in her tracks. "You never told me about this."

"I knew you'd freak out, Mrs. Goody-Two-Shoes," Lynda said. "They're selling the place on Saturday and me, Bob, Annie and Paul are gonna celebrate. I just have to get out of taking my brother trick-or-treating. Here we are," said Lynda, walking through the front lawn to her house. Annie and Laurie continued to walk.

"You're seriously going to the Myers place?" Laurie asked for confirmation.

"Yeah. Why don't you come along – oh, wait, you're babysitting tonight."

Laurie gave her a 'really?' look. When she was done, she tossed a look in front of her, noticing a figure hiding in the bushes. "Oh, look," she said.

"Look where?" Annie asked.

"Behind the bushes. You know, the person in the car, the one you yelled at?"

"Oh, subtle, isn't he?"

Annie trudged up to the bush silently, then jumped out at it and said, "Hey, creep!" But there was nobody there.

Not letting the initial shock give this away, as Laurie couldn't see from her position, Annie smiled at her. "Laurie, dear, he wants to talk to you," she said flirtingly. "He wants to take you out tonight."

Laurie, ever the gullible one, jogged over to her and saw that there was nobody there. "He was standing right there – "

"Poor Laurie! Scared another one away." Annie laughed to herself. "It's tragic, you never go out. You must have a small fortune stashed away from babysitting so much."

Laurie agreed with her silently. "Guys think I'm too smart."

"I don't, I think you're wacko. Now you're seeing men behind bushes."

They walked up to Annie's house, Laurie continuing to give her the look. Annie smiled apologetically before she ran up into her house. "Bye," she called over her shoulder.

Laurie looked back at the bush. She had been sure someone was there –

"Hello, Laurie," said a voice in front of her.

She screamed, then recognized the deep voice. "Hi, Mr. Brackett, I'm sorry, Mr. Brackett," Laurie said as she turned to face him.

"You know, it's Halloween," Brackett awkwardly said. "Everyone's entitled to one good scare, right?"

She nodded and walked around him, running up to her house next door.

"I didn't mean to startle you," he yelled after her. Sighing, he followed Annie inside their house.

Before she went in, Laurie looked out after him. What had happened to the man? She had been certain it was the same man from school; they were dressed similarly. Maybe it was a popular costume or something. But how had he just vanished like – wait a minute, she told herself. People couldn't just disappear like that. "Well, kiddo," she said, shaking her head, "I thought you outgrew superstition."


	9. He Came Home

**TOM WALLACE CEMETERY**

Loomis's tan car pulled up into the cemetery. The gravekeeper, an older man named James Brennan, sat beside him, directing him where to drive. He pulled to a stop at a marker that displayed ROW XVIII, BLOCKS X-XX. Getting out at the same time, Brennan gestured to the row behind it.

"Myers, Judith. Row eighteen, block twenty. You know, every town has something like this happen. I remember, over in Russellville, old Charlie Bowles, 'bout fifteen years ago. One night, he finished his dinner and excused himself from the table. And he went out to the garage, and got himself a hacksaw, and then he went back in the house, and he kissed his wife and his two children goodbye, and then he proceeded to slit each of their throats before killing himself, too. Bloody mess, reckon, I hear they had to leave the bottom half of the caskets closed 'cause there weren't anything else left past the waists."

Loomis had been listening to such tales all day. Every once in a while, he would glance at the graves, scanning the names.

JOHN HALL, BELOVED FATHER AND HUSBAND, BORN 7 APR 1922, DIED 13 JAN 1962

NAN HARLEMONT, MOTHER OF TWO, BORN 19 DEC 1909, DIED 19 DEC 1976

JENNIFER HILL, BORN 17 SEPT 1933, DIED 31 OCT 1971

He stopped and kneeled down. The gravestone had weathered in the seven years since he'd gone to the funeral, but the memories were fresh as ever. Sadness appeared briefly in the apathetic expression on Loomis's face. Standing up, he continued to walk with Brennan.

"Someone you knew?" he asked.

"Someone I loved," said Loomis. "She was like a sister to me."

"Ah, I see."

"Where are we?" Loomis asked abruptly.

"It's, uh, right over here." Brennan gestured over to the last few graves in the row. "Yeah, Myers, Judith Myers. I remember her. Couldn't believe it, such a young boy. I hear he was taken to some nuthouse for the past seventeen years. Poor kid, probably went crazy staying in there for so long. Well, even crazier," he said with a chuckle. Then he stopped, losing the smile instantly.

"What, are you lost?" he asked, noticing Brennan's dumbfounded stare at the ground.

"Why do they do it? Damn kids…they'd do anything for Halloween…let's see, eighteen, nineteen…Judith Myers."

Loomis looked down. A rectangular gap in the ground was the object of Brennan's outburst.

"He came home," he said, looking out into the trees.


	10. Obscene Chewing

**THE STRODE HOUSE**

Laurie walked into her room, laying her stuff down on the floor. Running her hands through her hair, she paced her room. Her thoughts were on the mysterious man she'd seen earlier. He had appeared twice in front of her today. Granted, at school it wasn't as big a deal. She'd figured it was someone preparing for trick-or-treating. But he had looked right at her. She was certain that he couldn't see her through the tinted school window of the classroom, but his empty gaze chilled her nonetheless. But she had seen him behind the bush, peering at her. It had to be the same person – they were wearing the same outfit, and she didn't remember seeing it in any Halloween store. With the amount of times she'd taken Tommy to them, she would have remembered it. And surely no two people would wear the exact same type of mechanic suit with the same type of mask?

Just stop worrying about it, Laurie, she said to herself. Probably just Dick Baxter fooling around again. She really couldn't stand him – he did always follow her from class to class trying to ask her out. And then again, he was absent today. Maybe it was him. However, Laurie didn't remember him being quite as tall.

Walking over to the window, she glanced out of it and froze. Standing in the yard next door, in between the clotheslines, was the masked man. And this time he was staring right at her.

She blinked, not able to believe her eyes. When she opened them, the man was gone. Slamming the window down, Laurie retreated into her room and backed up into the table. The second she did so, the phone rang, scaring her. She picked it up. "Hello?"

The sound of chewing was just barely audible. "Hello?" she asked again. When the chewing didn't cease, she shouted frantically, "Who is this?" She got no answer. Slamming down the phone, she threw glances faster than pitches at the window. The phone rang again, and when she answered it, Annie said, "Why'd you hang up on me?"

"Annie?" Laurie said, relieved. "Was that you?"

"Of course," Annie said matter-of-factly.

"Why didn't you say anything? You scared me half to death." Laurie shook her head, smiling to herself.

"I had my mouth full," said Annie. "Couldn't you hear me?"

Laurie nodded. "I thought it was an obscene phone call."

"Now you're hearing obscene chewing. You're losing it, Laurie."

"I already lost it."

"Doubt that," Annie commented. "Listen, my mother's letting me use her car. I'll pick you up, six-thirty."

"Okay. Bye," Laurie said.

"Bye." Annie hung up.

Laurie sat down on her bed. "Come on," she said. "This is ridiculous." Now she knew she was seeing things. Nobody could just disappear like that…could they?


	11. A Cynical Father

**NICHOL'S HARDWARE STORE**

Sheriff Brackett pulled up to the hardware store. The front door was wide open, the alarm ringing from within. Confused, he got out of his car and went in. A mechanic was already working with several other officers inside the store, and when Brackett walked up to him, he immediately started talking.

"Looks like a break-in," said the mechanic. "Looks like some knives, pulley ropes, and masks are gone. Look over there and you'll see. The alarm's faulty," he noted, pointing to the machine he was working on. "It won't shut off. We'll have to dismantle it and put it back together. Old Man Nichol is really mad. He keeps his store immaculate. That's how we knew someone'd broke in, other than the broken door."

Brackett nodded. Strolling over to the furthermost aisle, he saw that the mechanic was right; several butcher knives were missing, leaving only one. "Sir," said a cop as he joined him, "Mr. Nichol said he didn't sell nothing but chicken soup today. He restocked last night, so that's how we saw what was stolen. See here," he said, gesturing to the small mask area in the back of the store, there's three of each mask on the rack. One mask only has two. See?" He picked up the mask from the rack, showing it to Brackett. It was white-faced, with large eyeholes, dark hair, and a blank expression.

"Hell, doesn't this look kinda like Bill Shatner?" Brackett asked. "I coulda sworn I saw a mask like that downtown, except it was flesh, you know, and it had blond hair."

"I dunno. Anyways, if we find our perp, he'll most likely be wearing one of these." The other cop left, leaving Brackett to hold the mask. It creeped him out a bit. Putting it back on the rack, he noticed another version of the mask; this one was a greyish-blue tone, and had shocking white hair. I guess Mr. Nichol is cheap, after all, thought Brackett. Walking out of the store, he saw his wife's car pulling up in the parking lot. Crouching down, the window rolled down and a wave of smoke hit him in the face. Once it cleared, he saw Annie and Laurie smiling innocently at him.

"Hi, Laurie, hi, Annie," he said in a falsely sweet voice.

"Hey, Dad. What happened?" asked Annie.

"Aww, somebody broke into the hardware store. Probably kids."

"You blame everything on kids," said Annie, rolling her eyes.

"All they took was a Halloween mask, a rope, and a couple of knives. Who do you think it was?" Brackett remarked sarcastically.

Annie looked at Laurie, retorting, "It's hard growing up with a cynical father."

"Aren't you gonna be late – "

"Hmm?"

"I said, AREN'T YOU GONNA BE LATE?" yelled Brackett, annoyed.

"He shouts, too," said Annie.

Brackett sighed. "We're gonna talk once you get back home, miss. Bye, girls."

Getting up, he watched the car drive off. A man in a brown suit walked swiftly up to him.

"Sheriff?" he said, extending his hand. "Pardon me, I'm Loomis. Dr. Sam Loomis."

"Leigh Brackett," he said.

Loomis immediately started talking. "Sir, I talked earlier with you on the phone, and I'm telling you, he is here. I have proof. You see, at the Tom Wallace cemet-"

Brackett stopped him. "I'm dealing with something, here, Doctor. I don't have time for this."

"It's important, sir. I swear to you I'm telling the truth. Please believe me."

Bracket shrugged. "Give me ten minutes. And, Doctor, you better not be messing with me, or else you'll wake up tomorrow morning in jail. Understand?"

"I'll be here."

Brackett left. Loomis looked around, searching for the tan Illinois car. After all, Michael could be anywhere – he could even be here, at this very minute. Looking all around him, he saw nothing.

"I'll find you, Michael," he said under his breath. "I'll find you tonight."


	12. There's Nobody Outside, Tommy

**DOWNTOWN HADDONFIELD**

After Annie and Laurie had talked to Sheriff Brackett, they'd ran to the corner store to pick up some candles for the jack-o-lantern Laurie had brought with her. It was just around dusk when they left, getting darker as they headed back towards the Doyle and Wallace houses.

Noting Laurie's pointed silence, Annie kept glancing over at her. "What is it?" she asked after a while.

"I don't know," said Laurie. "Just thinking about the dance tomorrow."

"Well, well, I didn't think you thought about things like that, huh, Laurie?" giggled Annie. "Going with anyone yet?"

"No," Laurie said, looking out of the window.

"Could ask Ben Tramer if he'd go out with you," suggested Annie.

"He came up and asked me already. I don't like him, he's too heavy on the alcohol. Not to mention he goes around too much. I was thinking of asking Jimmy Lloyd. He's nice."

Annie scoffed at her. "Really, Laurie? He's such a loser. I wouldn't go out with him over my dead body. Besides, his jewfro is ugly. Ben Tramer's not that bad, you know. You'd make a cute couple."

Pulling up at the Doyle house, she let Laurie out before parking across the street at the Wallaces. She didn't notice the tan car that had followed her from Nichol's Hardware, nor did she notice the shadowy figure that exited from it.

The shape slowly strolled over to the Wallaces' front lawn, peeking out at the house from behind a tree. The darker-haired girl was chatting briefly to the parents, who were anxious to leave. A strong sense of déjà vu overcame it, remembering that fateful night fifteen years ago, when its own parents left. It rotated around the tree as the parents drove off.

It was time to put its plan into motion.

**THE DOYLE HOUSE**

Tommy and Laurie sat on the couch, watching The Thing. Laurie didn't really care for it, but Tommy liked it a lot. As minutes rolled into an hour, Tommy, too, got bored.

"When can we make jack-o-lanterns?" he asked.

"After the movie," said Laurie.

"What about reading stories?"

"After the jack-o-lanterns."

"Can we read some of my comic books? They're my favorite stories." Tommy pulled a few of them from under the couch, a bizzare place to hide things. Holding them up, she saw that each one of them had its own flashy title and super-hero. "Mom doesn't like me to have them."

Laurie began to look through them. "I thought King Arthur was your favorite."

"Not anymore," said Tommy, handing her the stack of comics.

The comics were awfully violent for a kid Tommy's age, with murders and decapitations happening left and right. "Laserman…Tarantulaman – I can understand why your mother doesn't like them – Nuclearman…"

"Laurie," asked Tommy, "What's the boogeyman?"

The phone on the table beside them rang, making them jump. Hurrying to pick it up, she said, "Hello?"

"Hey, Laurie," came Annie's voice over the phone. "I have some big news for you."

Going into the kitchen so Tommy couldn't hear her, she said, "What big news?"

"I just called Ben Tramer and told him how attracted you were to him."

"You what?" cried Laurie in horror. "I don't like him! I told you that!"

Annie was persistent. "Don't be so pig-headed! At least now you have a date."

"Aww, Annie, why'd you do it? I couldn't even face him…tell you what, call him back and tell him the truth."

The phone abruptly shut off. Laurie looked around, noticing Tommy had come into the room. He was staring out of the window in apparent fear. "Laurie, the boogeyman's outside!" he cried, pointing to the Wallace house. Raising a shade on the window, she looked across the street. Nothing was there. "Tommy, nobody's out there."

"But I saw him!" cried Tommy. "He was big and dark and scary."

"Tommy, that was probably a trick-or-treater. Besides, what's your deal with the boogeyman tonight?"

Tommy shifted on his feet. "The boys at school said he was coming to get me."

Laurie took Tommy back over to the couch. "Tommy, Halloween night is when people play pranks on each other. It's all make believe. They were just trying to scare you."

"I saw him, Laurie." Tommy remained adamant about it.

"We're not getting anywhere," said Laurie exasperatedly. "Okay. The boogeyman can only come out on Halloween night, right? Well, I'm here, and I'm not about to let anything happen to you. Okay? Because, Tommy, the big, strong boogeyman is no match for Laurie Strode and Tommy Wallace, cause they're big and strong, too, and they're a team. Right?"

Tommy nodded in agreement.

"Okay. Now, let's go make popcorn."

And so the duo left to combat boogeymen and hungriness, unaware of the happenings across the street.


End file.
